


Island

by Celandine



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Community: adventdrabbles, Drama, Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-12
Updated: 2010-12-12
Packaged: 2017-10-13 15:52:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/139009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celandine/pseuds/Celandine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life after Azkaban is simply not the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Island

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aome](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=aome).



Remus had written to him, as soon as he'd known Sirius was free, a long letter pouring out his guilt over his belief that Sirius had betrayed James and Lily, his grief over Sirius's suffering in Azkaban. He begged Sirius to forgive him.

After a while, Sirius did. There was after all no one else, in more ways than one, yet the decision to forgive was not a calculated one. As the memories of Azkaban began to fade--never to disappear, never, but the mercy of time's veil was drawn across his memory--Sirius was able to see past his own years of torment and understand that Remus had suffered too.

The Black house was the only gift he could give to the Order. He guessed it was not unexpected by Dumbledore, though he had never been able to discern how that man thought. Wretched though it was as a home, it was better by far than prison, and he had the comfort of having Remus stay with him now and then. When first Remus tried to kiss him, Sirius could not respond; he had forgotten how.

Remus was persistent, however, and if their lovemaking now did not live up to his memories, he never said so. Sirius himself no longer had that basis for comparison. At most he had a vague sense of something missing. Remus accepted the changes in him, even that Sirius preferred to sleep as Padfoot. The dog lived in the moment and did not dream.

**Author's Note:**

> For aome, who wanted Sirius/Remus or a character study, prompt "unexpected gift". The title is an allusion to John Donne.


End file.
